Storage phosphor imaging systems are known. In one such system, a storage phosphor is exposed to an x-ray image of an object, such as a body part of a patient, to record a latent x-ray image in the storage phosphor. The latent x-ray image is read out by stimulating the storage phosphor with stimulating radiation. Upon stimulation, the storage phosphor releases emitted radiation of a particular wavelength. To produce a signal useful in electronic image processing, the storage phosphor is scanned, for example, by a laser beam deflected by an oscillating or rotating scanning mirror or by a rotation hologon. The emitted radiation from the storage phosphor is reflected by a collector and detected by a photodetector, such as a photomultiplier, to produce an electronic x-ray image signal. The x-ray image signal can then be viewed as a visual image produced by a softcopy display device, such as a CRT or LCD display, or a hardcopy display device, such as a x-ray film printer (laser printer, CRT printer, thermal printer).
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,847 (Luckey) discloses a storage phosphor system.
The storage phosphor can be disposed on a medium, such as a sheet. When the storage phosphor is being processed/scanned/read/exposed by the storage phosphor processor/reader, there may be a desire to access the storage phosphor medium. For example, if the medium becomes lodged/jammed within the reader.
The present invention provides an apparatus for accessing the storage phosphor medium disposed within the CR reader.